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Debit/Credit card required to purchase 3G[S]?

Nikos

Nikos

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 20, 2008
1,652
323
New York
After reserving at a local store via the Apple website, it shows the following:

Make sure to bring these items with you:
• A valid, government-issued photo ID
• Your Social Security number
• A debit or credit card

Anyone know why it's required and what will be charged to it? For what it's worth, I am a 3G owner with AT&T. Not sure if it's only needed for new customers.

Trying to decide whether I should order it online today or wait and try my luck at the store.
 
Nikos said:
After reserving at a local store via the Apple website, it shows the following:

Make sure to bring these items with you:
• A valid, government-issued photo ID
• Your Social Security number
• A debit or credit card

Anyone know why it's required and what will be charged to it? For what it's worth, I am a 3G owner with AT&T. Not sure if it's only needed for new customers.

Trying to decide whether I should order it online today or wait and try my luck at the store.
Click to expand...

It's required because you have to pay for the phone before you take it and Apple Stores don't deal in cash.
 
att stores can take cash for it just not apple.. but yea to the post above they will take cash for comps and other things
 
Any particular reason why you wouldn't want to bring your credit or debit card to the store? If you are thinking about ordering it online today you must have enough available balance left on your credit card.
 
coolwater said:
Any particular reason why you wouldn't want to bring your credit or debit card to the store? If you are thinking about ordering it online today you must have enough available balance left on your credit card.
Click to expand...

He could be too young to own a debit or credit card. (Under 18)
 
ineedamac said:
Hmm, really? I thought businesses were required by law to accept cash?
Click to expand...
Nope. If you owe a debt, a creditor has to accept cash, but there's no federal or state law that says a private business has to accept cash for a purchase.

The Apple Store near me would sell someone an Apple Gift Card if all they had was cash or check. You can then use the Gift Card to pay for the iPhone.

IMO, one of the reasons for the "credit/debit" only policy at Apple is that the EasyPay mobile devices that employees use only accept credit/debit. The process for selling an iPhone can take 10-20 minutes, so if people were allowed to pay with cash/check, it would tie up the few real "cash registers" they have for a very, very long time.
 
coolwater said:
Any particular reason why you wouldn't want to bring your credit or debit card to the store? If you are thinking about ordering it online today you must have enough available balance left on your credit card.
Click to expand...

I was just wondering why it was a requirement. I forgot they don't deal with cash (for the most part) though they will let you buy a gift card with cash and use that to purchase the phone, at least they did last year. Now I know, thanks for refreshing my memory guys!
 
Guys, I'm 26. I just forgot that they don't deal with cash for the iPhone, lol. Wasn't sure if it had something to do with AT&T.
 
Just for clarification, this is from the US Treasury (which has money issues of its own):

The Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states:

"United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.​

Apple may be doing the same thing since it is easier to have a walking credit card machine than a walking cash register.
 
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